Cookie monsters rejoice as B.C. stores sell Girl Guide sweets

Girl Guides are being treated to some support since door-to-door cookie sales have been suspended due to COVID-19.

A few major businesses are putting the popular Girl Guide cookies on the shelves, to keep the kids safe and programs going.

Canadian Tire, London Drugs and Save-On-Foods are lending a helping hand and will be selling the cookies. The Girl Guides of Canada decided to cancel cookie sales earlier this month, not wanting to put kids and leaders on the front lines and make them susceptible to the coronavirus.

“Since 1927, Girl Guides have been going door-to-door selling cookies to support our wide range of programs for girls and young women in our communities,” said Diamond Isinger, provincial commissioner for BC, Girl Guides of Canada. “With physical distancing being so critical in Canada right now, we know door-to-door and public sales are not an option at this time, and we need to get creative.”

The challenge of Girl Guides of Canada faced with 800,000 boxes of cookies needing to be sold to support ongoing programs was met by the three retail giants.

“Most families have had connections to Girl Guides at some point in their lives,” said Clint Mahlman, London Drugs president and chief operating officer. “And certainly, all Canadians have enjoyed Girl Guide cookies and supporting their important programs. During this time of great change and chaos thrown into how businesses, non-profits, on how all of us work and live, if we can find new ways to support each other, then this is a bright light during a time that is shrouded in grey.”

The famous chocolate and vanilla sandwich cookies are also available at all 175 Save-On-Foods and Urban Fare locations.

“Save-On-Foods has a long history of supporting our communities, and we wanted to help Girl Guides with this fantastic tradition,” said Save-On-Foods president Darrell Jones. “For many people, these cookies mark the start of spring, and we are happy to give our customers the chance to support Girl Guides by picking up a box or two next time they shop at Save-On-Foods.”

All sales of the cookies will go directly to Girl Guides of Canada; London Drugs and Save-On-Foods are simply providing a safe distribution network.

“Thousands of Girl Guides are staying home for everyone’s health and safety, while looking at their boxes of cookies and wondering how they can get them sold to support their empowering Guiding activities when in-person programs can resume,” said Isinger.

You can also order the cookies online through londondrugs.com and have them delivered.

Girl Guides of Canada is also working on a Cookie Finder Map, which will be launched next week.